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Ratan Tata, ‘titan’ of Indian business, dies at 86

  Ratan Tata, one of India’s most respected and influential business leaders is best known for his role as the former chairman of Tata Sons – the holding company of the Tata Group. Part of a very prominent family – the Tatas, he was born on December 28 th , 1937; his family has played a very prominent role in shaping India’s business and industrial landscape for over a century.     Having studied at the very prestigious Cathedral and John Cannon School in Mumbai, he later went on to earn a degree in architecture from Cornell University which was later followed by a management program at the Harvard Business School.   With this strong backbone of education, he began his career at Tata Steel in 1962 where he worked on the shop floor which helped him earn the core operations of the group. It was only in 1991 when he was appointed the chairman of Tata Sons, succeeding J.R.D. Tata. This mark has paved a transformative era for the Tata Group.    It was under his stewardship that the Tata Gro
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4 Mindfully Spent Days At Woods At Sasan for a Writing Retreat with Bhavna Kher

Writing has been my passion for over 18 years so when I heard about the Writing Retreat that screenwriter, brand consultant and former creative director of Ogilvy - Bhavna Kher was going to conduct I was immediately interested in attending the same.     Not only this but I also wanted to connect with other writers and also sharpen my writing skills as well. It was a perfect opportunity to find inspiration within a focused environment.  Moreover, the 4-day writing retreat, (September 14- September 18th) which was conducted at a luxury boutique resort provided the perfect break from city life, and mindfully focused on sharpening one’s writing skills.  Having our independent quarters, we were surrounded by thickets of trees, within a lush mango orchard on the fringes of the Sasan Gir forest. It was the perfect place to calmly create a story without any disturbances. Moreover, in between the writing exercises, we went for a safari, and eco-trail, and were given bespoke Ayurvedic, Yoga and

Banganga Tank – An Ancient Heritage of Mumbai

  Often known as Mumbai’s very own ‘Varanasi’, Banganga Temple Tank at Walkeshwar is one of the oldest pilgrimage sites for devotes in the city. A sacred water tank, there is a lot of mythology surrounding the origin of this temple. As I reached the Walkeshwar Bus Depot, I wondered what was the story behind Banganga as I heard so much about it.    At the beginning of the walk, I met my guide from Khaki Tours and a middle-aged woman who would be accompanying me on the walk. As I looked all around me there were narrow and sneaky lanes and a side of Mumbai I had never explored before. Dating back to AD 1127  when the tank was constructed, the entire Banganga area is full of 10-20 small-sized temples, over 50 dharamshalas and one main temple which has been reconstructed over time.   Surrounded by mythology and history, it is believed that the temple at Banganga came into existence when Lord Rama – the exiled hero of the epic Ramayana stopped at this site to seek the blessing of a sage, whi

Dharavi: A Thriving Mini-City within Mumbai

Previously an island with a mangrove swamp, inhabited by Koli fishermen; Dharavi’s history goes back to 1884 when the city saw a huge migration of people from rural areas to urban Mumbai.     Once known as the village of Koliwada, Dharavi is the third-largest slum in the world and the largest slum in Asia; Having an informal economy, Dharavi is home to mainly 4 industries, namely the leather industry, the pottery industry, the textile industry and recycling of plastic.   On 11th August, I made a trip here with a tour guide from Mumbai Dream Tours. On arriving there, it was not only eye-opening but also thought-provoking how people survived here.  In this small and cramped area, a population of over 1.5 million reside and work. However, it is this labyrinth settlement which forms the microcosm of humanity in the city. With Mahim and Bandra to the west and the polluted Mithi River to the north, Dharavi is also neighbouring Kurla and Sion.               Having a yearly revenue of 1 billio

A whirligig & perfect storm with Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones in the Lead: Review of Twisters

   With over 1,200 tornadoes hitting the US every year, Oklahoma sits within the heart of Tornado valley, one of the world’s most tornado-prone areas with at least 59 tornadoes hitting every year. It is in fact known as the Tornado Capital of the World !    This is the setting the American disaster film, Twisters with six storm chasers – Daisy Edgar Jones (Kate Carter), Javi ( Anthony Ramos ), Addy ( Kiernan Shipka ), Praveen ( Nik Dodani ), and her boyfriend, Jeb ( Daryl McCormack ) in it.    Beading into a tornado, the team launches barrels of sodium  polyacrylate  in hopes of reducing the intensity of the tornado and  securing funding for further research. However, finding themselves amidst an EF5 ( Enhanced Fujita scale) which Is rated as one of the strongest tornadoes. Once the storm calms down and the amount of chemicals is found to be insufficient to stop the tornado,  Addy, Praveen, and Jeb   are killed, leaving only Kate and Javi as survivors.    A film which is produced by Fr

Candlelight Concerts India – A New Way of Developing Intimacy & Connection

In an age where reaching new audiences is very important, Candlelight Concerts has found a winning formula for itself. Attracting people from all backgrounds, these concerts involve lighting up a venue with a huge amount of LED candles and having a group of talented musicians performing classical music. By making use of flameless candles, it is easy to turn on all the c andles in unison.   The Instagram Phenomenon Illuminates Indian Cities https://youtu.be/_UQNDyZF2Ac?si=RLW-E_sq9KhBKdT2   Present in over 100 cities across the world, candlelight concerts attracts more than 3 million attendees. Musicians perform on a raised platform in front of hundreds of candles. With their warm glow, it is easy to fall prey to being mesmerised by these concerts. Dating back to 2011, these concerts have originally been founded in Spain by Fever – a global entertainment platform.    These intimate and multi-sensory live musical experiences have captivated India with its first performance occurring in M

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon - A Succession of Interesting Personalities and Celebrities!

   Being the seventh incarnation of   NBC's long-running- The Tonight Show Franchise,  The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon has been running from  February 17, 2014 up till now ((July 2024). Its predecessors    include The Tonight Show hosted by  six comedians:   1.       The Tonight Show   Starring  Steve Allen (1954–1957), 2.       The Tonight Show   Starring  Jack Paar   (1957–1962),   3.       The Tonight Show   Starring  Johnny Carson (1962–1992), 4.       The Tonight Show   Starring  Jay Leno   (1992–2009 and 2010–2014),   5.       The Tonight Show   Starring  Conan O'Brien  (2009–2010) 6.       The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014-Present)   Besides this there have been guest hosts on the show such as:   ·         Joey Bishop (177 times, mostly in the 1960s) ·         Joan Rivers (93, during the 1970s and 1980s) ·         John Davidson (87) ·         Bob Newhart (87) ·         David Brenner (70) ·         McLean Stevenson (58) ·         Jerry Lewis (52, mostly